Page 70 of Echoes of Fear
Not because they told me to. Because I wanted to.
Chapter Fifteen
Knox
“I have to head into Oasis tonight, baby boy,” Taylor tells me.
“I thought Oasis wasn’t open on Mondays?”
“Technically, it’s now open every day except Tuesdays and Wednesdays,” he tells me. “But only the Littles playroom. The main club is open Fridays through Sundays.”
I don’t even have to wonder why they changed things up. It’s pretty clear it’s all on me. They’re feeling guilty for shutting me out, which pushed me into that dumb search for somewhere to belong. And, well, that search just ended up with me getting hurt.
I don’t blame them for my attack, but I am glad that something good is coming from it. I never agreed with their reasoning for not letting me into the club. You had to be a Little who was already attached to a Dom. It was a stupid rule, and I can’t help but wonder how many lost Littles got turned away.
“Do you want to come and hang out in the playroom?” Taylor asks.
My gut doesn’t instantly react to the thought of leaving the property. But I still don’t think I’m ready.
“Not yet,” I say. “But, maybe in a few days we can attempt to go to King’s house? I’ll be fine once I get there. It’s the trip from here to there that has me wanting to vomit.”
“Of course, baby boy. You want to go see Madeline and Emily?”
“Their faces will be a plus. But I honestly want to go swimming, and I’m not sure diving into that pond in the backyard would be best. Something might eat me.”
“Frogs are the most dangerous things in that pond,” he says. “A trip to King’s would be perfect. My mom and brother are coming down for a visit, and it might be easier to meet over there.”
“Do they know everything that happened to Emily?” I ask.
We’ve already talked about Taylor’s family. His dad left when he was a kid, and it’s just been him, his siblings, and their mom since. I’ve talked to his mom a few times when he was video chatting with her. She’s so kind.
“They didn’t even know she was missing,” he shouts from the kitchen. “We don’t see them often, but apparently, that little brat sister of mine was talking to mom the entire time.”
“Awe,” I smile. “She didn’t want her to worry.”
“She could have shown me the same courtesy.”
“Are you pouting, Papa?” I tease. “You know, if she had contacted you, then we might not have met.”
“Not true, Pup,” he says, coming back to the porch where I spend most of my days. “We didn’t go to the clubhouse that day looking for help with my sister. We came to talk about our two clubs living in the same territory. Reynolds brought up Emily missing, and Ghost said they had someone that might be able to help.”
“Well, look how that turned out,” I smile, accepting the sandwich he holds out.
“Eat the whole thing, Pup,” he orders, leaning beside me against the house. “Ghost and I had been talking for weeks prior about merging our clubs. We just needed to see how they acted in the same room together first.”
“I’m glad everyone got along,” I say. “Oh, maybe I can see if Gran and Gramps want to come down, too. You know, when your family does. They’ve been asking about you.”
“I think that’s a wonderful idea, baby. I talked to your gramps the other day but he had to cut the conversation short when his Little was being naughty.”
“Ew. I don’t want to know about that,” I cringe. “Oh, watch that idiot,” I say around a mouthful of food.
We watch as someone in a white car speeds down the road and turns left at the fork.
“Someone is going to crash one of these days. If someone was coming around that curve at the same time, they wouldn’t have been able to stop.”
“Is this what you do when you’re bored, Pup? Car watch and see if someone is going to crash?”
“Mmhmm,” I admit. “Oh, look. I think this person lives down that way because I see them almost daily. They’re smart. They slow down long before they hit the curve.”